SS line post-install Qs

[hawkeye18]

Hi guys, I installed SS lines on all four corners today, and I have a few resultant questions.

1.) I, like an idiot, let the MC go dry during the process. So I know that I have massive amounts of air in my system that will take a while to get bled out. I've already, er, "bled" my ABS system, and had a **** of a time doing it , but how do I bleed the MC? Is there a bleeder bolt just like on the calipers?

2.) so, as a result of 1.), my brake pedal is spongy as all ****. Thing is, there's a spongy part, then it gets stiff again, and if I press past that, it gets weird. The car feels like it's pulling to the left, but the steering wheel goes to the right. The car actually tracks true, except when it actually stops, then it tries to pull to the right a little. I didn't do anything to the fronts except replace the calipers, brackets, and lines (and rotors too, 11.6" upgrade FTW). What did I do wrong?

3.) So I also installed some Tokicos and Eibachs in the rear that I've had laying around for years now and I can't get one of the top strut mount nuts on at the left side due to interference with the seat belt anchor. Is that terribly bad for a day or so? I mean, I know I can't let it be like that forever or I'll tear the mount apart, but is it dangerous to drive? Maybe that's why it's pulling left/right/whatever! :laugh_ti:

Ahh, but seriously, does anybody have any ideas? A million internets to ye who do!

 

[92inPA]

You say that you had trouble bleeding the ABS. Did you use a Thexton box? Or some other method? I suspect you still have lots of air in the ABS system. The Thexton bleeder box makes bleeding the ABS system really simple. You can find them on eBay all the time. Do a search for "thexton teves". It is the most reliable method available for bleeding our ABS systems.

After you use the Thexton box to bleed the ABS system, you will also need to bleed at each caliper.

 

[hawkeye18]

Nah, I went out into a big gravel field and stomped on the brakes . The shipyard where I work has a 5-acre gravel field for a parking lot which is empty on Saturday afternoons and I've heard it said on this forum repeatedly that the easiest way to get air out of the ABS is to activate it, and I probably had it running a good 10 seconds at least. I worked the **** out of it. But hey, at least it works!

 

[Storm-Chaser]

Hi guys, I installed SS lines on all four corners today, and I have a few resultant questions.

1.) I, like an idiot, let the MC go dry during the process. So I know that I have massive amounts of air in my system that will take a while to get bled out. I've already, er, "bled" my ABS system, and had a **** of a time doing it , but how do I bleed the MC? Is there a bleeder bolt just like on the calipers?

Search is your friend (brake bleeding, sixth thread)

2.) so, as a result of 1.), my brake pedal is spongy as all ****. Thing is, there's a spongy part, then it gets stiff again, and if I press past that, it gets weird. The car feels like it's pulling to the left, but the steering wheel goes to the right. The car actually tracks true, except when it actually stops, then it tries to pull to the right a little. I didn't do anything to the fronts except replace the calipers, brackets, and lines (and rotors too, 11.6" upgrade FTW). What did I do wrong?

3.) So I also installed some Tokicos and Eibachs in the rear that I've had laying around for years now and I can't get one of the top strut mount nuts on at the left side due to interference with the seat belt anchor. Is that terribly bad for a day or so? I mean, I know I can't let it be like that forever or I'll tear the mount apart, but is it dangerous to drive? Maybe that's why it's pulling left/right/whatever! :laugh_ti:

Ahh, but seriously, does anybody have any ideas? A million internets to ye who do!

The reason it's pulling as it does, is because the right-front and left-rear brake lines are on the same master cylinder/ABS pump circuit. Your SHO has air (or more air) in the secondary circuit between the master cylinder and the ABS pump/ABS pump and the calipers. Hence the spongyness during early pedal travel, until the right-front/left-rear are effective enough to stop your car on two brakes.... :banghd:

 

[hawkeye18]

oh hey, yeah... that does make sense. Especially since after I replaced the crush washers on the front left and rear right wheels, I bled those two calipers, and didn't bleed the front right and rear left.... I guess that explains why it hauls left but pulls right! I'm bidding on a thexton thingy so don't nobody snipe me! I'l **** you! lol j/k but yeah, I'll finish bleeding all four calipers today and see how it goes...

 

[92inPA]

The Thexton box does ten times better than a gravel road. It's worth the $50 or so that they usually sell for.

 

[hawkeye18]

well it worked like a champ. The left rear caliper had so much air in it that it did nothing but gurgle for a full second and a half after I opened the bleeder. I had to fill three of those little one-man brake bleeder bottles from AAP before the bubbles stopped.

OMG does the car stop now. The brake pedal works better than the gas pedal does! That's never happened before. I came home from wal-mart tonight with the wife, and I had just gotten done seasoning the rotors so I gave it 1/3 brake pedal and all the groceries promptly ended up in the front seat, and my wife was in the dash. She wasn't impressed; I sure as **** was. I had to push the pedal more than 1/2 down before I could get that effect before.

11.6" upgrade + SS brake lines = WIN!

 

[dantheman68]

ooh good... im about to do the same upgrade... im going from 94-95 rotors though...

 

[hawkeye18]

so did I, I have a 94 ATX. The difference is still that big.

 

[dantheman68]

really! aw thats great to hear!

i never had issues before... but a 96 kit came along at an unbeliveable price, and my rear lines have been causeing the brakes to stick... so i got the stainless... i wasnt looking for an upgrade... but it sounds great!

 

[hawkeye18]

ya, I have the bias plugs as well, and it really gives the rears a workout! I'm sure the new tokicos/eibachs make a big difference as well, but it really feels like the rears are hauling down; before, the ass end would poke up whenever I stepped on the brakes but now the whole car just hunkers down. It's niiiiiiiice. You'll really like it. I promise. I would recommend the bias plugs too, while you're in there. ****, it takes 5 minutes past the brake line replacement and you're already gonna have to bleed the brakes; you might as well replace 'em then!

 

[dantheman68]

what pads did you use? i hear parts stores have problems and give you the SLO pads instead of the 96+ SHO pads... do you have apart number?

 

[hawkeye18]

Hmm, I know I got Hawk HPS+ pads, part no. 598. I can't remember where I got them from. I know I was looking at tire rack but I believe I ended up getting them from eBay for cheaper. Just search "SHO Hawk" and you'll see one for about $70, which is what you'll pay anywhere else for those pads. They're very nice so far; no noise, minimal dust, just stop stop stop!

 

[dantheman68]

Awesome!!

Thanks

 

[92inPA]

The Hawk p/n for their HPS pad in the 598 size is HB416F.689. Summit sells them for $70.95.